New Zealand and coal

Coal mining
The New Zealand coal mining industry produced 5.77 million tonnes in 2006. The major mining operations are centred on the Waikato region, the West Coast and Southland. 2.29 million tonnes was produced from Waikato mines, mostly for supplying the Huntly Power Station, which consumes over 1.9 million tonnes a year and the Glenbrook Mill of New Zealand Steel, which consumer approximately 800,000 tonnes a year. Other than that, coal is consumed in the dairy processing industry, cement production, meat processing industries, timber processing and hospitals.

"Exports of bituminous coal, produced entirely from the West Coast, reached 2.61 million tonnes in 2006. New Zealand coal is exported mainly to India and Japan, with smaller quantities going to Chile, South Africa, Brazil, China, USA and Australia. Most exports are of coking coal, with smaller amounts of thermal and specialist coals. The Pike River mine is being developed for coking coal exports, with first production expected in 2008," Crown Minerals, the government agency with oversight of mining reported.

Operating Coal Mines
The bulk of coal mined in New Zealand is extracted by Solid Energy from the largest coal mines in the country. As of August 2007, there were 45 operating coal mines, with those producing over 100,000 tonnes a year being :


 * Huntly East, sub-bituminous coal from an underground mine owned by Solid Energy
 * Kopako, sub-bituminous coal from an opencast mine owned by Glencoal Energy
 * Rotowaro, sub-bituminous coal from an opencast mine owned by Solid Energy
 * Boundary, sub-bituminous coal from an opencast mine owned by MacDougall Mining
 * Spring Creek,	bituminous coal from an underground mine owned by Spring Creek Mining
 * Stockton, bituminous coal from an opencast mine owned by Solid Energy
 * Roa, bituminous coal from an underground mine owned by Roa Mining Co
 * New Vale, lignite coal from an opencast mine owned by Solid Energy
 * Wairaki No. 6, sub-bituminous coal from an underground mine owned by Solid Energy

Mining safety
On November 19 2010 an explosion rocked the new underground Pike River mine located near Greymouth on the South Island. The explosion caused the death of 29 miners. In the wake of the disaster, the New Zealand Prime Minister, John Keys, announced that a Royal Commission would inquire into the tragedy. "The future of Pike River and actually underground coalmining in New Zealand rests on this. We can't put people into mines that are dangerous," Keys stated.

Key announced that Justice Graham Panckhurst, a sitting High Court judge would head the Royal Commission and that two other Commissioners "with relevant expertise in mining and safety regulation" will also be appointed.

The draft terms of reference specified the that the commission inquire into the "cause" of the explosions on November 19 and November 24 as well as the cause of "the loss of life of the men working in the mine." The inquiry is also likely to be directed to inquire into "the general law (including any specific legislation and regulations), systems, processes, practices and procedures which govern health and safety in underground coal mining and related operations, and how these compare to relevant international jurisdictions", the "nature and effectiveness of the systems, processes, practices and procedures in place at the mine for or related to its operations,management, and safety" and the "administration and implementation (including resourcing) of any relevant legislation, regulations and their associated systems and processes in relation to the mine and the land in which it is situated, including the interaction between other regulatory requirements (such as environmental and conservation) and health and safety, and how these compare to relevant international jurisdictions."

July 5, 2010: largest protest in country's history against coal mine
Organized by Greenpeace's branch in Southeast Asia, a protest against an open-pit coal mine in an area described as "prime conservation land". In an effort to stop the mine, Lucy Lawless, known for her role as Xena the Warrior Princess, teamed up with Robyn Malcolm, a popular television and theater actress in New Zealand, to call the decision to open the mine “19th century thinking in a carbon-constrained world”. The duo, along with Greenpace, created a video of tourist reactions to the proposal in one of New Zealand’s parks, mocking prime minister John Key who called coal “sexy”.

Greenpeace estimated that on July 5, 2010, 50,000 people marched in opposition in the city of Auckland. Robyn Malcolm on the day of the protest said, "For nearly 50,000 Kiwis to turn out and be prepared to speak with one voice, must tell the Government something. And that something is this: we, the people of New Zealand get it; we get the argument, we see what you’re up to and we won’t have it. Our land will always be more important to our identity than some extra dollars in the pockets of mining companies.”

The National Government is likely to back down from proposed plans to mine in National Parks according to a 3 News report: “There will be no mining in Paparoa National park, no mining in the Coromandel, no mining on Great Barrier Island and no mining in any National Parks either now or in the future. There will be a legislative change introduced that will mean any crown land that becomes a national park will automatically be put into Schedule 4 and protected from mining.”

July 20, 2010: Citizens halt mine development
Citizen power in New Zealand forced the government to scrap a controversial mining resolution in July 2010 that would have allowed coal prospecting in pristine areas of the country, most notably on Great Barrier Island, the Coromandel Peninsula and in Paparoa National Park, including an open pit mine that would have been the largest in the country. Thousands of people protested the plan that was seen as widely unpopular throughout New Zealand.

Environmental Defense Society chairman Gary Taylor said mining would have clashed with the country's "clean, green brand and image".

Mar. 6, 2005: Save Happy Valley Coalition occupation of Solid Energy headquarters
On March 6, 2005, four Save Happy Valley Coalition activists locked down at the corporate headquarters of Solid Energy in Christchurch, New Zealand, in protest of Solid Energy's plans to build a coal mine in Happy Valley. Supporters hung banners and pitched tents on Solid Energy's property. The occupation came one day after Solid Energy sued three activists for defamation.



Aug. 13, 2005: Save Happy Valley Coalition coal train blockade
On August 13, 2005, a group of 25 Save Happy Valley Coalition activists and allies blockaded train tracks leading from Solid Energy's coal mines to the port of Lyttelton, New Zealand, in protest of Solid Energy's plans to build a coal mine in Happy Valley. Two people locked themselves to the tracks, while a third suspended himself from a tree 100 feet in the air, attached to a support rope that was tied to the tracks. Four Solid Energy trains stood on the tracks for five hours, while police cleared the blockade; the company claimed in court that the blockade cost them $150,000. The three blockaders were arrested.

Related SourceWatch Resources

 * Coal moratorium
 * New Zealand Mining Industry Association
 * Genesis Energy
 * Solid Energy

External Articles

 * The Coal Association of New Zealand, "New Zealand", World Coal Institute website, undated, accessed June 2008.
 * International Energy Agency, "Coal in New Zealand in 2005", International Energy Agency website, accessed June 2008.
 * U.S. Geological Survey, New Zealand 1994-2006